Use your daily planner to avoid being overwhelmed by work! It only takes one or two missing assignments to feel overwhelmed, as if you are in a hole you can't dig out of. A simple solution - start with the daily planner. If there is one thing that separates students who are calmly managing their load and those who are stressed out, it is strong planner skills. Start building good habits: challenge yourself for one full week to take that planner into every single class and write something down in the space provided for homework - even if "no homework today" is written. Then, use that planner as a check sheet at home. As each assignment is completed, cross it out. The sense of accomplishment from crossing items off the list is very motivating. It might take a little while to get back on track, but it will happen, and the stress clouds will fly away! Communicate with your teacher outside of class! If you are struggling in a class, let your teachers know that you are working on getting back on track. Keep them updated with your small accomplishments along the way and they will be impressed with your efforts. Share your goals with your teacher like, "I am committed to raising my grade to a B this semester," and your teacher will be rooting for you, and give you more guidance to make reaching your goal all the easier! Where you Sit In Class Can Make a Big Difference! Little things can make a big difference. Sitting in the front row, close to the teacher, can have a significant impact on a student's grade. By sitting closer to the front, students can make eye-contact with the teacher, hear the lesson more clearly, keep their attention focused, get a better view of the board, and get called on more easily by the teacher. From a teacher's perspective, sitting in the front relays the unspoken message that you are serious student, interested in the class, and looking for opportunities to participate. Once a teacher believes in a student's effort, they are more likely to help that student in any way they can. Clean out the Backpack Once a Week For many students, the school backpack can become a combination of luggage, file cabinet, and trash receptacle. Our suggestion is that on Sunday night, students completely empty their backpacks and go through each binder. Dump the trash, pull out the papers you need to keep on file at home for studying, place the papers you need to take to school in the right section of their notebook, and throw the useless papers into the recycler. Starting the week with a clean slate will make it easier to organize upcoming work and make sure that no important assignments have wormed their way to the bottom of the backpack and out of view. Pick the Right Lab and Study Partner! When it comes time to pick a lab or study partner, the temptation is to pick a friend. Sure, it would be fun to spend a class period talking about the upcoming Green Day album or the new Star Trek movie. Nevertheless, picking the right partner pays big dividends when it is time to produce quality work. Your close friend may not be the person who best contributes to a great final product, or who has listened in class as much as they should. A better choice for members of group projects are those who care about their grades and are known to work hard. Choosing a different partner can also be a chance to get to know someone better and even make a new friend. Either way, choose smart!